by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Wayne Community College first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at Wayne Community College. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 67% students making it past their freshmen year, Wayne Community College has freshmen retention rates below the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in North Carolina, the average is 66.53%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Wayne Community College | 67% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| North Carolina | 66.53% |
Of the 446 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 37% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 39% of the students had graduated and after eight years 40% of this class completed their degree.
Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical Wayne Community College graduation rate 39%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 428 | 37% |
| Six Years | 446 | 39% |
| Eight Years | 11 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 687 | 60% |
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
Approximately 687 students or 60% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 687 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
199 transferred to another institution.
Wayne Community College lost contact with the remaining 470 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 199 | 29.0% |
| Dropped Out | 470 | 68.4% |
Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.
Traditional Students:
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.
Non-Traditional Students:
Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.
A meaningful share of students at Wayne Community College are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at Wayne Community College represent 40.87% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wayne Community College graduation rate was 53%, and by the eight year mark, 54% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | Wayne Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 52% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 53% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 54% | 47.82% |
216 first-time / full-time students or 46% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
84 transferred to another institution.
Wayne Community College lost contact with the remaining 124 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 3.70% |
| Transferred | 84 | 38.89% |
| Dropped Out | 124 | 57.41% |
First-time / part-time students at Wayne Community College represent 20.96% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wayne Community College graduation rate was 37%, and by the eight year mark, 39% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Wayne Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 34% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 37% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 39% | 23.72% |
147 first-time / part-time students or 61% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
35 transferred to another institution.
Wayne Community College lost contact with the remaining 104 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 5.44% |
| Transferred | 35 | 23.81% |
| Dropped Out | 104 | 70.75% |
Returning / full-time students at Wayne Community College represent 25.59% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wayne Community College graduation rate was 26%, and by the eight year mark, 26% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | Wayne Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 26% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 26% | 55.07% |
216 non first-time / part-time students or 74% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
47 transferred to another institution.
Wayne Community College lost contact with the remaining 169 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 47 | 21.76% |
| Dropped Out | 169 | 78.24% |
Returning / part-time students at Wayne Community College represent 12.58% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Wayne Community College graduation rate was 24%, and by the eight year mark, 25% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Wayne Community College | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 20% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 24% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 25% | 37.80% |
108 non first-time / part-time students or 75% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
33 transferred to another institution.
Wayne Community College lost contact with the remaining 73 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.85% |
| Transferred | 33 | 30.56% |
| Dropped Out | 73 | 67.59% |
